1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to motorized power equipment and more specifically to motorized power equipment having an enhanced belt engagement system.
2. Description of Related Art
Power equipment such as lawn mowers, snow blowers, and the like typically use a belt or series of belts to power the equipment. A riding lawn mower may have a drive belt connected to the output shaft of a gasoline engine as well as a hydraulic drive system. The hydraulic drive system may in turn drive a propulsion system which moves the mower in either a forward or reverse direction. In addition, the drive belt may also be attached to a pulley or several pulleys which in turn are attached to mower blades. When the drive belt is engaged with the pulley or pulleys, the engine may rotate the mower blades.
A snow blower may also have a similar arrangement with a gasoline powered engine driving a hydraulic drive system. The hydraulic drive system may also be coupled with the wheels of the snow blower and may provide power to the wheels. Similar to the riding lawn mower, the snow blower may have a separate belt system that when engaged, turns the snow blower blades which directs the snow out an exit port.
Depending on the number of pulleys or the inertia of the blades attached to the pulleys, engaging the drive belt when the engine is running may prove to be difficult. In prior art engagement systems, a direct connection system may be used. The direct connection system may have a rod or other type of stiff arm attached to a clutch pulley. When the clutch pulley is disengaged, the rod pushes the clutch pulley away from the drive belt. When the blades are engaged, the rod pulls the clutch pulley a set distance against the drive belt.
One drawback to the prior art direct engagement systems is the lack of a gradual engagement process. Some of the prior art direct engagement systems slam into the drive belt with tremendous force when activated. If the engine is turning at a high rate of speed, the belt could slip, stretch permanently or potentially break when the clutch pulley is slammed into the drive belt. In addition, if the belt stretches over time, the prior art engagement systems may not be easily adjusted to keep the clutch pulley engaged with the appropriate amount of tension.
The present invention overcomes some of the difficulties of the previous direct engagement systems by providing a gradual engagement process that allows the clutch pulley to be moved into position gradually. The use of springs also compensates for varying deck cutting heights where when the deck height changes, the belt essentially changes lengths.